Renting is a choice, say a third of tenants

A third of all private rental tenants have dismissed the notion that they are only operating in the sector because they have to, saying that they prefer it to buying their own home.

It is a common belief that the large boom in the rental market has been largely down to the fact that it has been difficult for many potential buyers to secure the funding they need.

However, according to a new report from Upad, some 30 per cent of people are turning to landlord insurance customers rather than estate agents because they like the freedom it gives them.

Charlotte Ashton, 31 from London, told the company that she had been living in rented property for the past ten years.

"Whilst it is my ultimate aspiration to get on the property ladder at some point, I have actively chosen to live in rented accommodation for all of my adult life. The freedom, flexibility and being able to rely on the landlord to repair any problems has been a real draw for me and with house prices in London skyrocketing there is no way I could ever live where I do unless I rented," she said.

It was also discovered by the company that 39 per cent of all tenants in the UK are still expecting to be renting for the next three years at a minimum, which provides security for the immediate future to landlords.

James Davis, chief executive officer of Upad said that the rising demand for rented homes, particularly for those who are actively looking to live this way, has meant that they are more scrutinising with demands.

He advised anyone looking to let out a house to make sure that they are providing extensive photographs of it, an essential for 93 per cent of prospective tenants.

On top of this, making sure that living conditions are as high as they are for owner occupiers is also a good way to ensure that landlords bring in a new tenant.